Sunday, May 10, 2009

Ipoh Is Still The Best Place In The World

"Ipoh is the best place in the world." To me anyway...

This is something that I often say, especially to other friends who have left the city and perhaps don't remember it the same way I do. I know that I am blind to all its faults and perhaps I am able to enjoy this "ignorance" because I don't actually live here. And more importantly, I have the choice not to live here or even in Malaysia. I'll have to dedicate a whole post on that topic another day.

I am grateful that my parents spent the money to send us back to Ipoh for 3 months each year as we were growing up. We moved to Brisbane, Australia when I was eleven but all my summer holidays (November-January) were spent at our house right here in Ipoh. So to me, Ipoh will always be a fun place where all I did was hang out with friends. And, those holidays weren't just about friends. We stayed with my grandparents for a lot of the time too.

Aaron is getting the chance now to enjoy Ipoh too. My father has been taking him to many of the places that we went to as children. And, to be honest, I don't remember it being as peaceful and idyllic as it seemed today. It was just pure fun back then, as it is for Aaron now.

This weekend, we went to some of the streams. The farthest was no more than 30 mins away.

This place was perfect for little bulldozers and dump trucks to do their work.

And so was this place. The area looks small but he doesn't need much room and we had a fantastic time under the cool bamboo shade.

Aaron is always a little cautious with water but the cool stream was just too irrisitible. Each time, he started off only interested in the sand but always ended up in the water. Here is a photo of Aaron and the master of games this weekend, my father.

I wonder what will happen when my grandparents are no longer around and my parents decide to move permanently to Australia. Right now, they're literally fence sitters with a leg on either side. How will Aaron grow to love Ipoh the same way I do? Its easy to think that I don't need to have parents or grandparents here to visit the place but its not going to be the same as spending three months a year here and having the place becoming ingrained in you.

7 comments:

Hi! Happy Mother's Day. Your baby is so big! Ipoh looks so wonderful. I hope that your grandparents are around for a long while so that Aaron will have many memories of your summer home. I know that you will make sure that it is always a special place for him as it is for you.